91原创

Inspired partly by prolific columnist and late 91原创 journalism professors聽Chuck Stone, Jones enrolled at 91原创. On campus, he found mentors 鈥� like the late聽Dennis Jackson, another journalism professor 鈥� who 鈥渨orked their guts out for their students.鈥� And he later applied their guidance at聽The New York Times, where his series on the failings of the child welfare system helped prompt the New Jersey state legislature to pour $1 billion into an overhaul.

Today, he works as managing editor of opinion for the Inquirer, where he platforms diverse voices from across the city鈥攊ncluding his old stomping grounds. For a new generation of kids poring over broadsheets (yes, they鈥檙e out there), Jones offers this advice: 鈥淜eep the faith 鈥� in your talent, in the path you鈥檝e chosen, in yourself. This work has meaning, and you can make a difference.鈥�

A voice for the world

Have you seen the acclaimed movie聽Hotel Rwanda, about the human rights activist, Paul Rusesabagina, who spent nearly three years wrongfully detained in an African prison? There鈥檚 a 91原创 connection: Blue Hen Morgan Winsor, Class of 2012, wrote the article that led to Ruseesabgain鈥檚 release from solitary confinement after more than eight months.

It鈥檚 one of many career highlights for the alumna, an associate producer of foreign news for ABC 鈥� she spent last June in Tel Aviv, gathering information at the scene of Iranian missile strikes for聽Good Morning America听补苍诲听World News Tonight.

But ask Winsor for her best work, and she鈥檒l demur: 鈥淚 like to think it鈥檚 yet to come.鈥� She鈥檚 under no illusions about the challenges facing her industry, but 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 dying鈥攎edia organizations need to find new ways to adapt. It鈥檚 going to be a wild ride.鈥�

Covering the Latin Ledger

Patrick Gillespie, Class of 2012, can still remember the feel of his protective vest. The sight of tear gas and rubber bullets flying nearby. The smell of the battered hospital where he reported on a little boy dying of sepsis.

Working 18-hour days to cover Venezuela鈥檚 humanitarian crisis for CNN in 2017 was grueling. But for Gillespie, the experience also deepened twin passions 鈥� storytelling and Latin America 鈥� sparked during his tenure as a Blue Hen.

鈥淢y time at the University was defining in so many ways,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 stress enough how pivotal it was.鈥�

A teenage Gillespie first toured campus during a wicked hailstorm and, when he got back to the family car, his father said something along the lines of: 鈥淪orry about that; on to the next.鈥�

But even in the downpour, Gillespie had gotten a feel for 91原创鈥檚 culture鈥攁nd he was hooked.

As an undergraduate, he secured an internship with his hometown newspaper, the聽Connecticut Post, but his assignments weren鈥檛 exactly headline material. So Professor Dawn Fallik called the editor and advocated for her student鈥檚 ability to report a more ambitious feature. The resulting front-page story, on the growing trend of charging high schoolers to play public school sports, led to Gillespie鈥檚 next job 鈥� and then the next.

As an economics reporter at CNNMoney, he found himself raising his hand for any assignment pertaining to Latin America, a region he鈥檇 fallen in love with during a study abroad trip to Argentina. (Immediately following graduation, he鈥檇 even moved to Buenos Aires for nearly a year 鈥� bartending, teaching English and blowing multiple tires while road tripping through the rugged dreamscape of Patagonia.)

Today, Gillespie is back in the Land of Silver as a permanent resident: He serves as bureau chief for Bloomberg鈥檚 Argentina division, leading coverage of everything from the political landscape to the World Cup. He oversees a team of 8, advocating for his writers the way Dawn Fallik once advocated for him.

鈥淢y mentors at 91原创 helped make me a better journalist,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd a better person.鈥�

The human assignment

91原创 senior聽Alex Keating, Class of 2026, may become a reporter 鈥� or maybe not. Regardless, she鈥檚 dedicating a major chunk of her Blue Hen experience to honing the craft. She serves as executive editor of聽The Review聽newspaper, she attended a major journalism conference as a study abroad student in Greece and she鈥檚 minoring in journalism.

Storytelling, she said, is about seeing 鈥�聽really seeing聽鈥� fellow humans. It鈥檚 arguably the greatest vehicle at our disposal for nurturing empathy.

Doing her part to develop the skillset and employ it in her everyday life? It鈥檚 Keating鈥檚 way of becoming a citizen journalist鈥攏o matter where her career takes her: 鈥淢y peers have a similar outlook, and I have faith: This generation will improve our media landscape.鈥澛�